Chapter 2: Networking Infrastructure and Documentation

MSA (master service agreement)

A contract that defines terms of future contracts between parties, such as payment terms or arbitration arrangements.

Patch

A correction, improvement, or enhancement to part of a software application to fix a bug in their code or to add slightly more functionality.

MOU (memorandum of understanding)

A document presenting the intentions of two or more parties to enter into a binding agreement, or contract.

Wiring Schematic

A graphical representation of a network's wired infrastructure.

SLA (Service Level Agreement)

A legally binding contract or part of a contract that defines, in plain language and in measurable terms, the aspects of a service provided to a customer. Specific details might include contract duration, guaranteed uptime, problem management, performance benchmarks, and termination options.

RFP (Request for Proposal)

A request to vendors to submit a proposal for a product or service your company wants to purchase.

MLA (master license agreement)

Grants a license from a creator, developer, or producer to a third party for the purposes of marketing or sublicensing, or distributing the product to consumers as a stand-alone product or as part of another product.

Network diagrams

Graphical representations of a networks devices and connections

The ____ is usually not a legally binding document (although there are exceptions), does not grant extensive rights to either party, provides no legal recourse, and is not intended to provide thorough coverage of the agreement to come.

MOU (memorandum of understanding)

Inventory Management

Monitoring and maintaining of all the assets that make up a network.

Parts of a change request document:

Person submitting the change and person who must authorize the change. Type of change Reason for change Configuration procedures Potential impact Grounds for rollback Notifcation process Timeline for the change

To reverse an Operating system upgrade,

Prior to the upgrade, make a complete backup of the system; to roll back, restore the entire system from the backup; uninstall an this type of system upgrade only as a last resort.

IDF (intermediate distribution frame)

Provides an intermediate connection between the MDF and end-user equipment on each floor and in each building.

Key parts of this include why your company requires the product or service, how the product or service will be used, how and when the proposals will be evaluated, and a list of items a vendor should include.

RFP

Rack units

Rack height is measured in ____.

Patch cable

Relatively short length of cabling with connectors on both ends.

A ___ is legally binding, meaning it can be enforced in a court of law.

SOW (Statement of work)

Backbone Cabling

The backbone consists of the cables or wireless links that provide interconnection between the entrance facility and MDF, and between the MDF and IDF's.

MDF (main distribution frame)

The centralized point of interconnection for an organization's LAN or WAN.

Demarc

The device that marks where a telecommunications service provider's network begins ends and the organization's network begins.

Entrance Facility

The location where an incoming network, such as the internet, connects with the school or corporate network.

Patch Management

The practice of monitoring the release of new patches, testing them for use on networked devices, and installing them.

System life cycle

The process of designing, implementing, and maintaining an entire network.

Rollback

The process of reverting to a previous version of a software application after attempting to patch or upgrade it.

VoIP (Voice over IP)

The use of any network (either publicly or private) to carry voice signals using TCP/IP protocols.

Rack Diagram

These drawings show the devices stacked in a rack system and are typically drawn to scale.

VoIP PBX

This is a dedicated telephone switch or a virtual switching device that connects and manages calls within a private organization, and manages call conections that exit the network through a VoIP gateway.

To reverse a Shared application upgrade,

Use the application's automatic uninstall utility, or maintain a complete copy of the previous installation of the application and reinstall it over the upgrade.

To reverse an Operating system patch,

Use the patch's automatic unistall utility.

To reverse a Client software upgrade,

Use the upgrade's automatic uninstall utility, or reinstall the previous version of the client on top of the upgrade.

Horizontal Cabling

Cabling that connects workstations to the closest data room and to switches housed in the room.

VoIP gateway device

Converts signals from a campus's analog phone equipment into IP data that can travel over the internet, or which converts VoIP data from an internal IP network to travel over a phone company's analog telephone lines.

(SOW) statement of work

Documents in detail the work that must be completed for a particular project, and includes specifics such as tasks, deliverables, standards, payment schedule, and work timeline.